Crimson Desert: How to Start Charting the Unknown DLC - All Quests and Unlock Requirements

Charting the Unknown expands Crimson Desert with ocean exploration, new character stories, shipbuilding, upgraded housing, romance, and additional combat challenges. However, these features do not all become available at the same point in the game.

Some require progress through the Greymane faction quests, while others are unlocked only after completing the main campaign.

This guide explains where to begin, which quests to complete, and how to access the expansion's main activities.

Charting the Unknown - Unlock Requirements

The requirements depend on which feature you want to access.

Important: Finishing the main story does not automatically unlock every feature. Some activities require separate faction quests.

How to Unlock Ships and Ocean Exploration

To begin the shipbuilding questline, you need to progress through the Greymane faction storyline.

Complete the following steps:

1. Finish Chapter 3: Howling Hill.
2. Establish the Greymane Camp at Howling Hill.
3. Open the Grounds of the Sunrise faction questline.
4. Progress through Gathered Will.
5. Complete the later Expanding the Camp quest.
6. Open your Journal and find the Charting the Unknown faction category.
7. Begin A Wider World.

The new faction category contains 14 quests, with three quest chains initially available:

• A Wider World - Leads to your first ship.
• Shield of Hernand.
• Renewed Vitality.

Warning: Two quests share the name Expanding the Camp. You need the later one under Gathered Will, not the earlier version found in Embers of Return.

Getting Your First Ship

Follow A Wider World and complete its shipbuilding objectives.

You will initially obtain a small ship, allowing you to continue into the Great Ocean storyline.

Larger vessels become available later. Ships can be purchased or constructed through the appropriate port-related systems.

Medium and Large Ship Prices

Building these vessels requires fewer Camp Funds than purchasing them outright, but consumes additional construction materials.

Choose whichever method best suits your available resources.

Can You Dive Before Unlocking Ships?

Yes. Underwater exploration does not require completing the shipbuilding storyline.

Characters can dive into Pywel's waters, although remaining submerged consumes breath.

Equipment such as a diving suit can help extend underwater exploration.

How to Unlock the Upgraded Housing System

The expansion introduces additional house construction and decoration options.

To access them:

1. Establish Greymane Camp at Howling Hill.
2. Progress through Grounds of the Sunrise.
3. Complete Luke's Request.

Once the quest is finished, you can access the expanded housing system.

It allows you to customize your home with different ground designs, walls, windows, and decorations.

How to Start the New Character Stories

The expansion introduces separate storylines for Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka.

All three require completion of the original campaign, including Epilogue: Journey's End.

After meeting this requirement, open your Journal.

Switch to the appropriate character before starting their quests.

Kliff cannot complete Damiane's or Oongka's personal storyline on their behalf.

How to Enter the Garden of Trials

Garden of Trials is a combat challenge featuring encounters with bosses previously faced during the main adventure.

To unlock it, complete Epilogue: Journey's End.

You do not need to finish the new character storylines first.

Finding the Garden of Trials

1. Open the Abyss map.
2. Locate the Axiom Archive, positioned above the Town of Hernand within The Path of Providence.
3. Travel to the archive's Abyss Nexus.
4. Approach the building ahead to trigger the introductory cutscene.
5. Inside the challenge area, find the short pillars topped with cubes.
6. Stand on the corresponding pad and interact with a cube to select a trial.

Prepare before entering: The challenges involve consecutive boss encounters, and consumable items cannot be used during those fights.

Romance and Marriage Requirements

Romance becomes available without completing the main story.

Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka each have specific characters with whom they can develop relationships.

To begin:

1. Find an eligible NPC and check their interaction menu.
2. Increase trust through gifts and conversations.
3. Reach 100 Trust.
4. Select Seduce.
5. Increase the NPC's Likeability.
6. Select Propose when the required conditions are met.

The four witches have an additional requirement: you must complete the relevant Sanctum quest before pursuing their romance-related progression.

After marriage, a spouse can accompany your character or stay at your house. Divorce is also available.

How to Unlock Festivals

Festival activities do not require completing Journey's End.

However, visitors and social events depend on your relationships with Pywel's residents and the development of your camp.

If visitors are not appearing, focus on:

• Increasing trust with residents.
• Improving Greymane Camp.
• Progressing relevant relationship activities.

Developing these connections can eventually bring more visitors to your settlement.

Unlocking Castles and Businesses

New management opportunities become available as you establish your camp and liberate regions.

Business Management

Once Greymane Camp is established, facility icons can appear on the world map.

Accessing a facility requires liberating the relevant region and completing its associated faction quest.

Eligible businesses can then be rented and managed.

Castle Requirements

Some castles have additional objectives.

The expansion also introduces castle ownership and customization opportunities after the relevant requirements are met.

What Should You Do First?

Your next objective depends on what you want to experience.

For sailing: Complete Chapter 3, advance the Greymane faction quests, and follow A Wider World.

For housing: Establish the camp and complete Luke's Request.

For character stories or boss challenges: Finish Epilogue: Journey's End.

For romance: Develop relationships with eligible NPCs, even if you have not completed the campaign.

Following the appropriate questline allows you to access your preferred content without unnecessarily completing unrelated activities first.